The woman suspected of killing a New York City police officer in an alleged drunken crash early Tuesday said “I’m sorry” as she was led away from a police precinct in handcuffs into a squad car.
Jessica Beauvais, 32, faces a slew of charges, including two counts of vehicular manslaughter, reckless endangerment, leaving an accident resulting in death and driving while intoxicated in connection with the death of Anastasio Tsakos, a 14-year veteran who was assigned to Highway 3, the NYPD told Fox News.
She was driving on a suspended driver’s license at the time of the crash, police said. In total, her license has been suspended 14 times and she has been cited for multiple driving violations, authorities said.
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During the walk to the police car in front of a group of reporters, Beauvais apologized for the officer’s death as she was being led out of the 107th Precinct in Queens.
“I am sorry that I hit him and that he’s dead,” she sobbed. “I didn’t mean to. I’m sorry!”
Tsakos was a father of a 6-year-old daughter and a 3-year-old son, police said.
When asked what she wanted to tell his family, an emotional Beauvais said: “I didn’t mean to, I’m sorry.” She was then asked by reporters where she was coming from before the crash.
“I was coming from the studio,” as the doors to the police vehicle were being closed. “I do a podcast.”
Tsakos was diverting traffic away from a fatal accident on a freeway in Queens just before 2 a.m. when a vehicle veered and he was struck “head-on” by a 2013 Volkswagen, police said.
The driver fled the scene but was apprehended a short time later. The officer was taken to a hospital where he died. Beauvais’ blood alcohol level was 0.159%, way above the legal limit of 0.08%, police said.
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In a video posted to Facebook on Monday, Beauvais, posting under the name Phoenix Michel, was heard playing N.W.A.’s “F— tha Police” before speaking about the conviction of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, the New York Daily News reported.
“Why do you need a weapon to do your job,” she asks. “If you were afraid for your life, go be a secretary at Walmart. Do us all the favor. Go open up a daycare. But please stop hitting us with the (expletive) excuse that you felt threatened about something.”